A native of San Antonio, Jesse Borrego's big break into show business came in the mid 1980s acting in the TV series "Fame." That's where cast mate and fellow Texan, Debbie Allen, first started giving him tips on directing.

Nearly 30 years later, Borrego is at work in Texas, directing and acting in "Closer to Bottom," a Latin-themed, coming of age feature film. The screenplay comes from Austinite Alex Avila, who was inspired to write the story in 1990 as a way of coping with the death of his father.

For Borrego, the independent film is his first directorial effort since 1999. He also appears in "Closer to Bottom" as the character Tio Thomas. It's the latest role is a career spanning films like "Blood In, Blood Out," "Con Air," and "Colombiana," as well as hit TV shows "Dexter," "24," and "ER."

Principal photography on "Closer to Bottom" is nearing completion after shoots in San Antonio and at the Frontier Bar in East Austin over the past weekend.

YNN's Victor Diaz interviews Borrego in the video above.